What smartphone launches can we expect in 2012?

There is no doubt that 2011 was a great year for new smartphones. We saw the launch of the iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy S2, and HTC Sensation, among many others. We can only speculate at this point on what we’ll see released in 2012. In this article, I’ll take a look at a couple of possible releases.

Samsung Galaxy s3
As the successor to the very popular Samsung Galaxy S2, the Galaxy S3 was confirmed to launch in 2012. There are no confirmed specifications at this time, but the internet has plenty of rumors about what we can expect from the phone. Samsung already surpassed the screen resolution of the iPhone 4S with the Galaxy Nexus, so we can probably expect this to carry over to the Galaxy S3. A big increase in processing power also seems likely, as there are rumors that HTC already has plans for a quad-core device sometime this year. Of course, new versions of Android will also be supported, and a new version will be released every year. It could be the new version of the Ice Cream Sandwich software, or it could be a later version, depending on what time of year the phone is released.

iPhone 5
Apple always causes a stir every summer when it announces its new iPhone models. Many expected to see the iPhone 5 launch in 2011, but instead we were introduced to the impressive iPhone 4S. Therefore, the launch of the iPhone 5 is practically guaranteed this summer. We can expect to see a new design aesthetic, a new version of iOS, more processing power, and probably an improved camera. With iPhones, we’re never sure of specific features until launch, as Apple is very good at keeping secrets until launch date. Just like the iPhone 4S has features like Siri, surely we can expect some other innovative feature from the next iPhone.

What other trends can we expect to see in 2012? It is quite possible that 3D technology will be integrated into more smartphones, as well as quad-core processors. The first dual-core smartphone was released in 2011 (LG Optimus 2X), and there is already talk of quad-core devices in development, so the technology is clearly still advancing at a fast pace. Screen resolutions will also be increased, if recent releases are anything to go by. Until recently, the iPhone 4 was unmatched in its touchscreen resolution, but we’ve seen the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Note, and the Motorola Razr offering higher screen resolutions, all released in the last few months.